The sun had only just risen over Knox Manor when Curtis stumbled out of bed.
"Unghhh…"
He looked like a zombie.
He was wearing a baggy black hoodie, gray sweatpants that kept trying to slide off his hips, and open-heeled slippers that flopped with every lazy step.
His hair was an untamed mess.
Almost like he'd wrestled a pillow and lost.
"I should get some coffee… or ice cream…"
His voice sounded dead and gravelly.
Curtis's tired, half-open eyes scanned left and right as he tiptoed across his massive bedroom, then through the hallway that opened to the outdoor balconies.
He peeked over the railing.
"Hrmm…" (ー_ー゛)
The workers were trimming hedges, cleaning fountains, and sweeping paths.
"Good…" he whispered. "They're busy."
Then, Curtis tiptoed back inside and moved to the indoor balcony overlooking the grand foyer.
He was like a burglar in his own home.
He peered down. Empty. Not a single maid in sight.
Curtis pressed a hand to his chest, relieved.
"Okay, safe…"
He pulled up his sagging sweatpants like he was arming himself for battle, and then hurried down the fancy spiral glass staircase.
However…
His brain was running its own morning commentary.
『It's not that I don't like people… that's a lie. A big, fat lie I made up to hide the truth. The real truth is…』
Curtis froze mid-step when he reached the kitchen.
It was a state-of-the-art kitchen with more appliances than any human would ever need.
He looked around, paranoid, as if the maids might appear out of thin air and catch him thinking.
『The real truth is… I'm allergic to women.』
He sighed and dropped hopelessly onto one of the stools by the kitchen island.
『Yeah. Allergic. I know, I know… it sounds stupid, but I can't help it. The moment I'm around women of any age my body starts itching. And if I… even try to get aroused…』
He made a disgusted face then shuddered.
『…I throw up.』
He rubbed his face and groaned.
Just thinking about it made him feel like a loser.
This was the first thing that ran through his mind every morning he wasn't working.
And since he hadn't left the mansion in years, he'd had plenty of mornings like this.
『I couldn't let Dad or Gerard know, so I lied. Said I have anxiety being around people. Sounded better than: 'Hey, I puke when I get horny.' Ugh, kill me…』
He dropped his forehead against the counter like it was a slab of raw meat.
『And to top it off, that excuse just makes me sound like I'm trying to come out as gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that—but still.』
Groaning, Curtis sat back up and dragged himself toward the coffee machine.
But then he suddenly stopped.
"Eh, forget it."
He shuffled to the freezer, yanked it open, and pulled out a frozen bowl of vanilla ice cream.
"I'll just do both."
He poured a ridiculous heap of instant coffee powder into the bowl and mixed it lazily.
Next, he trudged to the living room.
Once he dropped onto the couch, he grabbed the sleek remote from the glass table and hit a button.
All at once, the curtains closed, the doors sealed, and the windows darkened.
It was like a bunker going into lockdown.
"Finally, some privacy…"
He mumbled then spooned a mouthful of his eats.
For a while, it was kinda peaceful.
Him. His ice cream. And no one else.
『I love being alone…』
He grinned faintly to himself—then choked.
"Cough—COUGH!?"
His eyes bulged.
"Ack—wha—!"
The coffee powder had gone down the wrong pipe.
He staggered to his feet, coughing violently as he slammed his back against a pillar for support.
BANG—BANG—BANG!
After a few desperate seconds, he gasped for air.
Now he had watery eyes and a red face.
"Achk—! I almost died!"
He wheezed as he clutched his chest and let out a few more weak coughs.
He glanced at the empty room and sighed.
『Okay. I love being alone just a little…』
Then he coughed again.
DING—!
The sound echoed through the mansion like a gunshot.
"UOOOGHH—!"
Curtis jumped so hard he tripped over the sofa and face-planted into the tiled floor.
He groaned in agony, one hand grabbing his back.
When he rolled to the side, he saw his bowl of ice cream splattered all over the floor.
"Great… there goes my breakfast."
Rubbing his head, he muttered—
"What the hell was that sound…?"
DING—!
It rang again.
He froze like a startled alley cat as his eyes anxiously darted everywhere.
"Oh, wait…"
He said after a long pause, then slapped his forehead.
"That's… that's the doorbell."
He chuckled awkwardly.
"Hah. Wow. Seven years and I forgot what a bell sounds like. Nice job, Curt."
Dragging his slippers, he reluctantly made his way to the giant front doors.
"Who's stupid enough to visit me?"
He tapped the small touch screen beside the door.
The security feed flickered on.
"Erm…"
Curtis instantly frowned.
On the other side there was a short and stout old man in a neat suit. His face was scrunched up in the meanest frown you'd ever see—so much that he looked like an angry little goblin.
Curtis groaned.
"Yeah. He's stupid enough."
Eugene Knox.
CEO of Knox Industries. His father.
Curtis squeezed his eyes shut, forced out all his frustration through one calming sigh, and plastered on the fakest smile known to mankind. He hit the unlock button, and the massive doors parted with a soft whirr.
Eugene clicked his tongue as he stepped inside with his vintage wooden cane.
"It makes me proud to see you doing well in everything you touch, my boy."
Curtis blinked.
"That's… your opening line after two years?"
It'd been years since he last saw his son in person, and those were the first words out of his mouth. Eugene was such a businessman that he always liked getting straight to the point even with his own family.
Eugene ignored the sarcasm completely.
"You've grown efficient, just like I hoped."
Curtis gave a polite nod.
"Father. Nice to have you. I'll send you the business plan by the end of the week."
He pointed casually at the door.
"I'm guessing you were just passing by?"
Translation: Please leave.
Eugene frowned and smugly tapped Curtis's shoulder with his cane.
"When are you going to get married?"
Curtis ruffled his messy hair.
This was him pretending not to hear.
"Right, so about CorePath's stock—we'll be selling soon. If you're worried about reputational damage, I've already made sure it can't be tracked ba—"
"When are you going to have a baby?"
Curtis froze. "Father…"
The old man crossed his arms and dramatically looked away like a spoiled child.
"You never answer questions about your love life."
Curtis sighed deeply.
"You already know about my condition. I can't be around people until my doctor finds a cure. Besides, I've got too much work. And I like being alone."
Eugene jabbed his cane toward Curtis's pants.
"I'm starting to think you can't be around women because you can't get that thing up!"
Curtis's eyes went wide as he slapped the cane away.
"Hey! Keep that stick to yourself!"
The old man chuckled. "At least mine works."
Curtis pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Unbelievable…"
He started pacing, clearly trying to come up with a solution to end this conversation.
Then his face lit up like he'd just discovered fire.
"Okay—what if I donate my sperm somewhere? You'll get your grandkids, and I won't have to actually—uh, you know—deal with people."
He grinned proudly at his own logic.
Eugene stared blankly. Then shook his head.
"Sometimes I'm ashamed to call you my seed."
Curtis winced. "That's… a little harsh."
Eugene turned toward the door.
"Don't worry,"
He sounded smug all of a sudden.
"I've… fixed things."
Curtis blinked. "Fixed what?"
The old man just smirked and kept walking.
"Wait—wait, what do you mean fixed!?"
Curtis shouted as he chased him to the driveway where a Rolls-Royce Phantom was already waiting.
Eugene climbed into the back seat.
He was still wearing that devilish little grin.
"DAAAAD!!"
Curtis yelled as the car rolled away.
The only response was the fading sound of the engine and the faintest chuckle from the man who had just dropped a bomb without explaining a damn thing.
Curtis stood there in his baggy hoodie and slippers.
He rubbed his face and groaned.
"I'm so screwed…"
But there was no use worrying about it now.
He swatted the car away with his hand.
"Whatever. I should go wash up."
Curtis walked back upstairs, but he couldn't stop thinking about what Eugene had said. The more he thought about it, the more his hand drifted down until he finally grabbed himself by the crotch.
"Am I really gonna die sexless? I'm not a virgin… I've tasted sex once and that was it."
He frowned when he remembered Anastasia's face.
"I wish I could do it again… sex…"
He hungrily chewed on his lower lip.
By that time, Curtis was already back in his room.
He didn't even realize the shower was running until he slid open the glass doors.
"Oh?"
It was a soft feminine voice.
Curtis couldn't believe his eyes.
There was a naked blonde woman in his bathroom.
A beautiful one at that.
"How did she—"
His grip on his special place tightened.
The blonde beauty noticed this.
Her face instantly wrinkled up like trashed paper.
"Eh?"